Volume 54, August 2015, Pages 111–119
Review
Essential oils as antimicrobials in food systems – A review
Abstract
Many
consumers are demanding foods without what they perceive as artificial
and harmful chemicals, including many used as antimicrobials and
preservatives in food. Consequently, interest in more natural,
non-synthesized, antimicrobials as potential alternatives to
conventional antimicrobials to extend shelf life and combat foodborne
pathogens has heightened. Aromatic plants and their components have been
examined as potential inhibitors of bacterial growth and most of their
properties have been linked to essential oils and other secondary plant
metabolites. Historically, essential oils from different sources have
been widely promoted for their potential antimicrobial capabilities. In
this review, mechanisms of antimicrobial action, and the antimicrobial
properties of plant essential oils are discussed, including their mode
of action, effectiveness, synergistic effects, major components and use
in foods.
Keywords
- Natural antimicrobials;
- Essential oils;
- Foodborne pathogens
- Corresponding author. Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72704, USA. Tel.:
+1 479 575 4678; fax: +1 479 575 6936.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
